Magic is a performing art that entertains an audience by creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats, often using purely natural means. These feats are often called magic tricks, effects or illusions. One who performs such illusions is most often referred to as a magician or illusionist.
Card magic is a specific type of magic that usually deals with creating magical effects using a deck of playing cards. Traditionally, card magic was commonplace in magical performances, especially in close up magic, such as parlor or street magic. Over the years, playing cards became popular with magicians because cards are inexpensive, versatile, and easily available. Although magicians have created and presented myriad of illusions with cards, sometimes referred to ‘card tricks’, most of these illusions are generally considered to be built upon similar principles and techniques.
Card magic, in one form or another, likely dates from the time playing cards became commonly known, towards the second half of the fourteenth century, but its history in this period is largely undocumented. Due to versatility as a prop, card magic has become very popular amongst modern magicians. While many card tricks use a complete deck of playing cards, oftentimes, individual cards are used to create mystifying illusions such as a spinning and seemingly floating cards.